1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a laser rewriting system that performs writing with respect to a rewritable recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, information recording media having various pieces of electronic information stored therein are used. A printing technique of visualizing electronic information stored in such information recording media has been disclosed (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-258699 (page 1 and FIG. 1)). According to the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-258699, the information recording medium includes a rewrite area in which change information including at least one image can be rewritten as visual information, and a base material of the recording medium having a storage area for storing electronic information. An area for printing image information according to a photograph of a holder's face and a usage history, and an area for printing holder's individual information and an image corresponding thereto are arranged in the rewrite area of the information recording medium, and the rewrite area can be rewritten according to the photograph and update information prepared by the holder according to a sublimation dye transfer printing method.
Further, a technique relating to an information recording medium having a memory area for storing process control information and a rewritable area for displaying the process control information stored in the memory area as visual information has been disclosed (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-295401 (page 1)). According to the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-295401, the information recording medium includes an integrated circuit (IC) area for storing the process control information for each predetermined process, and a rewritable area for displaying the stored process control information as visual information. The information recording medium can access a rewritable apparatus for rewriting the visual information associated with each process and displayed in the rewritable area via a communication unit. The information recording medium includes a process selecting unit, a process control information reader, and a rewrite instructing unit. The information recording medium selects a process corresponding to the accessed rewritable apparatus from the IC area, reads the process control information corresponding to the selected process, and instructs the rewritable apparatus to rewrite the information based on the process control information.
According to the above techniques, however, when the displayed content is to be changed, electronic equipment such as an information processor and a printer is required. However, when operations and the like are performed in various environments, it is troublesome to perform the rewriting operation by using the electronic equipment. Particularly, when the information recording medium is attached to an object to be managed such as a commercial product, an operation to detach the information recording medium from the object and reattach the information recording medium to the object after rewriting is required every time rewriting is performed.
When the detachment and reattachment are performed, not only the efficiency of the original process is deteriorated, but also a stress is applied to the information recording medium, thereby causing deterioration thereof. Further, because rewriting is repeatedly performed with respect to the information recording medium, there are needs for improvement of rewriting efficiency.